Günther Wilke

Günther Wilke (23 February 1925 – 9 December 2016) was a German chemist who was influential in organometallic chemistry.

He was the director of the Max Planck Institute for Coal Research (Max-Planck-Institut für Kohlenforschung) from 1967–1992, succeeding Karl Ziegler in that post.

[2] During Wilke's era, the MPI made several discoveries and achieved some financial independence from patents and a gift from the Ziegler family.

The institute continued as a center of excellence in organometallic chemistry.

Wilke's own area of interest focused on homogeneous catalysis by nickel complexes.

Wilke is credited with the discovery of bis(cyclooctadiene)nickel(0) , a useful homogeneous catalyst .